I must bid farewell as well. Not because I'm a Rubens fan (he's ok). I'm actually a Williams fan since the Rosberg days. Big time Mansell fan as well. I liked the team even during the Hill years, even though I didn't like him that much as a driver. I cheered for Montoya, Webber, Heidfeld, Rosberg and Rubens for defending the Williams colors as well.

But now with 2 pay drivers in the 8-digit mark, they are no longer a team I desire to win. This feeling has been building up since last year when PDVSA was added as the main sponsor (the Venezuela government is an embarrassment to South America).

McLaren was always my 2nd choice team since the Lauda/Watson days, and I will be cheering for them as they at least are still a truebreed racing team. Williams has again become the amateur organization that they were in the 70s before Patrick Head joined the team. With him gone, and Adam Parr at the helm of the team, it's back to the Merzario days. This is not the 80s/90s Williams anymore, and hasn't been for a while.

That is kind of ridiculous, Mercedes was co owner of Mclaren...is easy to support a team in the glory days, but the true supporters are with team in the poor days too...imagine that I had to wake up at 9 am to watch that horrible performances of this year...anyway

I am not impressed with the pay drivers and the new attitude of Williams - they are moving away from the ideals that I loved this team for.

But...while my support may strengthen and lessen, how can I just drop my support for Williams? I am a big JB fan. I like what Fernandes is doing at Loterham, I respect McLaren's perfection.

But I am a Williams supporter, and will happily go down with the ship if needs be. While ever the team is called Williams and/or has Frank in control or his successors, I will be crossing fingers for them.

If it is sold a la Tyrrell to someone else, then I will consider my support. But only then!

Farewell Flying_German_Finn_Whatever! Have a good one and come back someday. Agree about PDVSA by the way.

Like the godfather said, "I wish to congratulate you on your new (team or driver), and I know you'll do very well; and good luck to you -- as best as your interests don't conflict with my interests. Thank you."

Francesc, I don't agree about that about "who're the real fans of this team". I believe some transitory fans are more intense and involved with the team's fortunes than I am, even if its just for a while. Who's to say which type of fan is better? The lifelong, rationalized devotion or the spontaneous and intense love affair?

Not agreed with some posts here...Xerro is a driver fan and didn't claim to be anything else, and now he's moving on with his favorite driver being out of the team.so goodluck to him and thanks to him and other driver fans who had good input for this message board and surely they will be missed...same for me back in 05 when JPM joined Mclaren, I was posting on the same rate on 2 boards as I was both a Williams fan and a JPM fan too.then disappeared when Monty stoped driving there.that's the way drivers' fans are and there's nothing wrong about in my opinion.

It brings some welcome diversity of knowledge and perspectives when driver fans post on team sites. I was looking forward to Kimi Raikkonen joining even more so for precisely that reason.

I have to say though, as sorry as I am to see the german-flying_finn_or_whatever leave, I respect his decision. "The Merzario days again" point he makes really hits home, especially when you look at a 2012 formula one season entry list, with Williams so low down the order, and with such...mediocre drivers. Are they really going to wrestle this team higher? On face value, it just looks like a tail end team with no prospects, however, appearances can be deceptive and I am desperately hoping that this is the case.

I will say though, that as a Williams fan, I have too much emotional investment to be able to abandon ship. I am also reminded by recent news stories of how humiliating it can be to abandon a sinking ship prematurely. So on that note, Im in for another season.

some very interesting viewpoints posted. i have followed the williams team since inception and continue to do so. why? hard to say really except that in the early days there was an aura of adventure emanating out of the superb engineering and developmental works being implemented. williams were right up there and they were a fun team to follow.

all that aside, my continued 'obsession' is rooted in the drivers. it is they who make it all happen. when they accelerate off the grid the entire weight of the entire team rests on their shoulders. they live by the sword and they die by the sword, figuratively speaking.

most posters know that i support mark webber but i do not have anywhere near the same level of support for red bull racing as a team.

the ideal always was, mark webber in a williams. it was a disaster when it happened, for both team and driver.

i do believe that all posters contribute and their opinions are as valid as anyone else's. the truth is though that when some go some others arrive bringing, sometimes, a different vision and that can only be good.

I'd love to see Webber back with Williams. A missed opportunity no doubt. He got kind of cranky towards the end though; perhaps he knew something we didn't.

Makes me nostalgic for the not-so-bad days. I haven't been obsessing over drivers since JPM left Williams. I loved the way he drove, man... that was fun/infuriating. He was a real A$$H0LE sometimes but at least he had a discernible personality.

After that I focused more on the team, the lore attached to it, the nuts and bolts, not caring who's turning the wheel as long as they're competent and hungry. however if Williams gets a gem of a driver I'm sure I'll start obsessing again. I hope so.

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